Chapter 5: The Call From Renee's Brother
I dialed the number at 8:47 that evening.
It rang six times before a man answered.
"Hello?""
His voice was rough, as though I'd interrupted his sleep.
"Is this Derek Collins?""
A pause.
"Who wants to know?""
"My name is Evelyn Carter. I'm Renee's mother-in-law.""
The silence that followed was so complete that I could hear the refrigerator humming in the kitchen.
Then Derek said, "How did you get this number?""
"It was left in my study.""
"By whom?""
"Tasha.""
He exhaled sharply.
"Then you found the envelope.""
"Not exactly. Someone took it.""
He swore under his breath.
"Listen carefully, Mrs. Carter. You need to get Isaiah away from that house.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Why?""
"Because if Tasha knows you've found the trust documents, she'll try to control the situation before Malcolm gets home.""
"She already has been controlling the situation.""
"No. You don't understand. This isn't just about the money.""
"Then explain it to me.""
Derek went quiet.
I could hear traffic in the background, followed by the muffled sound of a door closing.
Finally, he said, "Can we meet tomorrow morning?""
"No.""
"Mrs. Carter—"
"My grandson has been denied school supplies while money intended for him disappears. I found an account with more than a hundred and eighty thousand dollars in it, and now someone has stolen his mother's letter from my study. I am done waiting for other people to decide when I deserve the truth.""
Another pause.
Then Derek spoke more softly.
"Renee was afraid of Tasha.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
"Because Tasha had been asking questions about the trust. She wanted to know when the money would become available and whether anyone could change the beneficiary.""
"Could she?""
"No. Not without proper legal authority. Renee made sure of that.""
"Then why did she have access to Isaiah's savings?""
"Because Malcolm trusted her to help manage the household. The savings account was separate from the trust, and some of the arrangements were less secure than they should have been.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much money was in the trust when Renee died?""
"One hundred and eighty thousand dollars, approximately. It has earned interest since then.""
"And the eight-thousand-five-hundred-dollar transfer from Isaiah's savings account?""
Derek inhaled slowly.
"That money went into my account.""
"Why?""
"Because Tasha asked me to receive it.""
I stood up so quickly that my chair scraped across the floor.
"You accepted money from a child's savings account?""
"I didn't know where it came from.""
"That's convenient.""
"I understand how it sounds.""
"Then make me understand.""
Derek's voice became strained.
"Tasha told me Malcolm had agreed to repay a loan. She said she was transferring the money on his behalf.""
"Did you verify that?""
"No.""
"Did you return it?""
"Not yet.""
I pressed my fingers against my forehead.
"Why not?""
"Because when I asked Tasha about the source of the money, she told me it was connected to Renee's estate. I contacted a lawyer, and he advised me not to move anything until the transaction could be documented.""
"How long ago was that?""
"Three weeks.""
Three weeks.
During that time, Isaiah had been living in the same house as a woman who had refused to buy him a notebook.
I struggled to keep my voice steady.
"Did Renee know you were going to be involved in this?""
"She trusted me to protect the trust. She did not trust me to manage her money.""
"Those sound like very different things.""
"They are.""
He paused.
Then he said something I wasn't prepared for.
"Renee and I hadn't spoken for almost a year before she died.""
I sat down again.
"Why?""
"Because I made a mistake.""
"What kind of mistake?""
"The kind that nearly cost her everything.""
I waited.
He didn't continue.
"Derek, I need to know what happened to my daughter-in-law.""
"I'll tell you tomorrow. But I need you to promise me something first.""
"What?""
"Don't let Tasha take Isaiah out of state. And don't let her open that envelope.""
My heart began to pound.
"Why would she take him out of state?""
"Because Renee left instructions concerning his guardianship.""
I stared at the study door.
"What instructions?""
"I can't explain without seeing the original documents. But the envelope contains a letter naming the person Renee wanted to care for Isaiah if Malcolm became unable to do so.""
"Malcolm is perfectly capable of caring for his son.""
"I know.""
"Then why would Tasha care about those instructions?""
"Because if Malcolm and Tasha separate, Isaiah's living arrangements may change. And Tasha knows that.""
I thought of the words she'd spoken earlier.
Renee made me promise.
Ask Renee's brother what he did to her.
I was beginning to suspect that everyone had a piece of the truth, but no one had the courage to put the pieces together.
"Where should we meet?"" I asked.
"There's a diner on Route 9, just outside town. Seven-thirty tomorrow morning.""
"I'll be there.""
"And Mrs. Carter?""
"Yes?""
"Please don't tell Tasha about this call.""
I looked toward the hallway.
"That depends on whether she asks.""
I hung up.
For a long time, I sat alone in the study, looking at the empty space where the envelope had been.
Then I heard a small knock.
Isaiah stood in the doorway, wearing his pajamas.
"Grandma?""
I quickly set my phone down.
"What are you doing awake, sweetheart?""
"I heard Mom talking.""
My chest tightened.
"What did she say?""
He looked over his shoulder before entering the room.
"She was on the phone with somebody. She said you found the money.""
I knelt in front of him.
"Did she say anything else?""
He nodded.
"She said if Dad comes home, everything will fall apart.""
I swallowed.
"Did you hear who she was talking to?""
"No.""
He hesitated.
"Grandma, is Mom going to send me away?""
The question pierced me.
I wrapped my arms around him.
"Nobody is sending you anywhere without your father's knowledge. Do you understand?""
He nodded against my shoulder.
"Promise?""
"I promise I will do everything I can to keep you safe.""
I held him until he relaxed.
Then I tucked him into bed and stayed beside him until he fell asleep.
At seven the next morning, I drove to the diner.
Derek was waiting in a booth near the back window.
He was in his early forties, with dark hair beginning to gray at the temples. His face looked tired, and he kept glancing toward the entrance as though he expected someone to follow me.
When I approached, he stood.
"Mrs. Carter?""
"Yes.""
He pulled out the opposite seat.
"Thank you for coming.""
I remained standing.
"Start talking.""
He nodded, accepting my impatience.
"Renee discovered that money had been moved from an account connected to her estate. At first, she thought it was a mistake. Then she found evidence that someone had been trying to change the arrangements for Isaiah's inheritance.""
"Who?""
"I don't know for certain.""
"Was it Tasha?""
"I suspect she was involved, but I can't prove when she became aware of the trust.""
"Why didn't Renee tell Malcolm?""
"She did. He thought the problem was administrative. He was overwhelmed with work and medical bills, and he believed the lawyers were handling everything.""
I stared at him.
"Was Renee's illness connected to any of this?""
Derek's expression changed.
"No. She died from cancer. There was no evidence of anything else.""
I hadn't realized how desperately I needed to hear that until he said it.
He continued.
"Before Renee died, she asked me to help protect Isaiah's money. We argued because I wanted to confront the people involved immediately. She wanted to avoid a public fight while she was still receiving treatment.""
"Why?""
"Because she was afraid Isaiah would end up caught in the middle.""
I looked down at the coffee I hadn't touched.
"She was already dying. She was trying to protect her son from a family conflict.""
"Yes.""
"Who else knew about the trust?""
"Malcolm. Renee's attorney. The bank. And eventually, Tasha.""
"How?""
Derek hesitated.
"She found paperwork in Renee's belongings after the funeral.""
I remembered the locked drawer.
The envelope.
The way Tasha had said Renee trusted her.
"Did Renee leave anything specifically for Isaiah?""
"Yes. The letter, and instructions about his future care. She also left a separate document explaining why she had chosen the trust structure.""
"Why haven't you given those documents to Malcolm?""
"Because the original envelope was entrusted to Tasha, and I didn't want to create another dispute without understanding what Renee had written.""
I leaned forward.
"And now the envelope is missing.""
Derek rubbed his face.
"Then we need to act quickly.""
I studied him.
"Tell me about the eight-thousand-five-hundred dollars.""
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a folder.
"I brought the transfer records.""
He placed them on the table.
The first page showed the payment from Isaiah's account to Derek's.
The second showed a transfer from Derek's account to a company called Collins Property Services.
The third showed the money being withdrawn in two separate transactions.
I looked up.
"What is this?""
"My business account.""
"You told me you hadn't returned the money.""
"I haven't returned it to Isaiah yet. I used part of it to cover an outstanding business payment before I knew the source.""
I stared at him in disbelief.
"You used a child's money to pay your business expenses?""
"I didn't know it was his.""
"You knew three weeks ago.""
His shoulders slumped.
"Yes.""
"And you still haven't returned it?""
"I've been trying to arrange the repayment without moving money around in a way that could complicate the investigation.""
I stood.
"Then arrange it faster.""
He flinched.
"I deserve that.""
"No, Mr. Collins. Isaiah deserves his money.""
I gathered my purse.
"Give Malcolm these records. Every page. No omissions.""
"I will.""
"And if you've withheld anything else, I suggest you tell him before the bank discovers it.""
I started toward the door.
Derek called after me.
"Mrs. Carter.""
I turned.
He looked down at his hands.
"There's something else Renee wrote in her instructions.""
"What?""
"She said that if Tasha ever tried to control Isaiah's inheritance, Malcolm needed to see the letter before making any decisions about the marriage.""
My skin prickled.
"Why?""
"Because Renee believed Tasha's interest in the money went beyond household expenses.""
I thought of the two large transfers.
The missing envelope.
The threats.
"Did Renee explain what she meant?""
Derek shook his head.
"No. She only said that Tasha had once asked her a question that frightened her.""
"What question?""
Derek looked me directly in the eyes.
"She asked Renee whether a child could be removed as a beneficiary after the person who created the trust died.""
I felt the room tilt.
Before I could respond, my phone rang.
Malcolm.
I answered.
"Mom, where are you?""
"Meeting Derek. Why?""
His voice was urgent.
"Get home immediately.""
"What happened?""
"Tasha called me. She says she's taking Isaiah to her sister's house for a few days.""
"Where does her sister live?""
"Two states away.""
I gripped the phone.
"Did you give her permission?""
"No. And when I told her she couldn't take him without discussing it with me, she said she already had everything arranged.""
I looked at Derek.
He had gone pale.
"Malcolm," I said, "listen to me. Do not let her leave with Isaiah.""
"I can't get there until this afternoon.""
"I'll handle it.""
I ended the call and hurried toward the parking lot.
As I started my car, another message arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
Tasha stood beside a suitcase in the front hallway, holding Isaiah's hand.
His old backpack was slung over one shoulder.
Beneath the picture were eight words.
*If you want to see him again, bring the envelope.*
I stared at the message.
Then I looked at the passenger seat, where Derek's documents lay scattered.
Tasha wasn't simply trying to hide what Renee had left behind.
May you like
She was using my grandson to force me to give it back.
And I no longer knew how far she was willing to go.